MANCHESTER — There weren’t many surprises during the first round of the Maine State Golf Association’s Match Play Invitational. Only two of the 16 matches were won by the lower-seeded player. There also wasn’t much suspense during the opening round, as just one of the 16 matches made it 18 holes, and nine matches were decided in 15 holes or fewer.
Travis Lazarczyk
Columnist
Travis Lazarczyk has covered sports for the Portland Press Herald since 2021. A Vermont native, he graduated from the University of Maine in 1995 with a BA in English. After a few years working as a sports information director and in the ski industry, he began his journalism career at the Berlin (N.H.) Reporter in 1999. Prior to joining the Press Herald, Lazarczyk spent 20 years covering sports in central Maine at the Morning Sentinel and Kennebec Journal. He's been twice honored as the Maine Sportswriter of the Year by the National Sports Media Association.
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GOLF: Change of pace at match play tourney
AUGUSTA — Expect some aggressive play during the Maine State Golf Association’s Match Play Invitational, especially from Ryan Gay.
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TRAVIS LAZARCZYK: Football season is here
PORTLAND — Jack Cosgrove, the head football coach at the University of Maine for nearly 20 years, paused just after he stepped to the podium. He looked at his notes, then out at the room, and smiled.
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TRAVIS LAZARCZYK: Good end to tourney
FARMINGTON — On the final day of the New England Babe Ruth 13-15-year-old tournament, the teams from Trumbull, Conn., and Braintree, Mass., more than made up for the lack of sportsmanship on display the previous night at Hippach Field. After Trumbull’s 3-1 win in the tournament’s championship game, after all the trophies and plaques had been handed out, the last two teams standing posed together at home plate while friends and families from both sides snapped pictures and mingled.
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13-15-YEAR-OLD BABE RUTH NEW ENGLAND REGIONALS: Braintree advances to finals
FARMINGTON — The 1 hour, 45 minute rain delay before the start of Tuesday’s New England Babe Ruth tournament game between Manchester, N.H. and Braintree, Mass., did nothing but prolong Braintree’s incredible run out of the loser’s bracket and into the championship round.
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BASEBALL: Former big leaguer, known for elbow surgery, visits Harold Alfond Fenway Park
OAKLAND — Wyatt Viles listened to every word Tommy John had to say. The 10-year old from Strong watched John cock his left arm in a throwing motion, then mimicked the motion as best he could, twisting his left hand so the baseball turned from his body, then twisting his hand towards himself as he threw.
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BABE RUTH: Central Maine is 2-0 in 13-year-old regional
The Central Maine 13-year old Babe Ruth team is 2-0 in the New England tournament, and coach Butch Cunningham doesn’t think his team has played its best baseball yet.
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13-15-YEAR-OLD BABE RUTH NEW ENGLAND TOURNAMENT: Franklin County ousted
FARMINGTON — When one thing went bad for the Franklin County 13-15 year-old Babe Ruth team on Sunday, everything went bad. Whether it was hitting, pitching, or defense, nothing worked right for Franklin against Braintree, Mass. Braintree capitalized on Franklin’s collapse in the fifth inning, scoring seven runs to take an 11-1 win in a game shortened by the mercy rule.
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TRAVIS LAZARCZYK: Loser’s Bracket no place to be
On Saturday morning, eight state flags hung from the left field wall at Hippach Field in Farmington. By late Saturday afternoon, there were six.
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13-15-YEAR OLD BABE RUTH NEW ENGLAND REGIONAL: Franklin loses its first game
FARMINGTON — Sometimes in a baseball game, the smallest details turn into the biggest plays. That was the case in Saturday night’s New England Babe Ruth tournament game between Franklin County and Manchester, N.H.